Minister of Tourism and Culture Rachael Zulu has called on Malawians to embrace the spirit of love for the country to continue enjoying the freedom which the Reverend John Chilembwe fought for in 1915.
Zulu was speaking on Tuesday during prayers to mark Chilembwe Day at Providence Industrial Mission (PIM) headquarters in Chiradzulu.
Said Zulu: “The Reverend John Chilembwe led the uprising in protest of the injustices that the colonial masters perpetrated against black people in Malawi [then Nyasaland] out of love [for his fellow blacks] and not for personal gain.
“Chilembwe was not working in the estates. He was not among the people being mistreated, but he saw it wise not to sit on his laurels and see fellow blacks being mistreated but to fight for their liberation.”
The minister said it is sad that some people fight for causes that would not benefit the nation.
“This is against the ideologies of the Reverend Chilembwe whom we all need to emulate,” she said.
Chilembwe, who was an educationist, minister and pastor, was the first Malawian to fight against the socioeconomic hardships in 1915 in estates owned by the whites.
Among other injustices, Chilembwe opposed the conscription of Malawians to participate in the First World War in Europe and unfair treatment at workplaces, especially in estates.—Mana
